The Paradesi Synagogue aka Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue (Malayalam: പരദേശി ജൂതപള്ളി) is a synagogue located in Mattancherry Jew Town, a suburb of the city of Kochi, Kerala, in India. It was built in 1568 A.D. by Samuel Castiel, David Belila, and Joseph Levi for the flourishing Paradesi Jewish community in Kochi. Cochin Jews were composed mainly of the much older Malabari Jews and the newly arrived Sephardic refugees from the Portuguesereligious persecution of Jews in Spain and Portugal.[1] It is the oldest active[2]synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations.[3]Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages, and the literal meaning of the term is "foreigners", applied to the synagogue because it was built by Sephardic or Portuguese-speaking Jews, some of them from families exiled in Aleppo, Safed and other West Asian localities.
The synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known as Jew Town,[3] and is the only one of the seven synagogues in the area still in use, though the Kadavumbhagam Synagogue (1544 A.D) and Thekkumbhagam Synagogue (1647 A.D) (extinct) are much older and are the three synagogues in Mattancherry. The complex has four buildings. It was built adjacent to the Mattancherry Palacetemple on the land given to the community by the Raja of Kochi, Rama Varma. The Mattancherry Palace temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall.
The Malabari Jews or Yehudan Mappila (also known as Cochin Jews) formed a prosperous trading community of Kerala, and they controlled a major portion of worldwide spice trade.[citation needed] In 1568, Paradesi Jews constructed the Paradesi Synagogue adjacent to Mattancherry Palace, Cochin, now part of the Indian city of Ernakulam, on land given to them by the Raja of Kochi. The first synagogue in India was built in the 4th century in Kodungallur (Cranganore) when the Jews had a merchantile role in the South Indian region (now called Kerala) along the Malabar coast. When the community moved to Kochi in the 14th century, it built a new synagogue there.[citation needed]
The Malabari Jews' or the Yehudan Mappila first synagogue in Cochin was destroyed in the 16th century during the Portuguese persecution of the Jews and Nasrani or Suriyani Mappila or Syriac (Aramaic) Mappila people. The second, built under the protection of the Raja, in Mattancherry, in 1558, during the Portuguese rule of Cochin, is the present synagogue,[4] which is still in use for worship and can attract a minyan. It is called Paradesi synagogue because it was built by Spanish speaking Jews (Paradesi Jews); this contributed to the informal name: paradesi synagogue or "foreign" synagogue. In addition, a new Jewish group had immigrated to Kochi, Sephardim from the Iberian Peninsula. They and the Malabari Jews or Yehudan Mappila shared many aspects of their religion, and the newcomers learned the Judeo-Malayalam dialect, but the Sephardim also retained their own culture and Spanish language at least for three centuries. By 1660 the Dutch ruled the Kochi area, calling it Dutch Malabar. In later years, the Paradesi Synagogue was used primarily by the Sephardim (who were also referred to as Paradesi) and their descendants, and later European exiled Jews.
The Paradesi Synagogue had three classes of members:
Black Jews, or Malabari Jews, were allowed to worship but were not admitted to full membership. These Cochin Jews were the original Jewish settlers of Cochin.
Meshuchrarim, a group of freed slaves and their descendants brought by the Sephardim, they had no communal rights and no synagogue of their own. They sat on the floor or on the steps outside. In the first half of the 20th century, Abraham Barak Salem, a meshuchrar, successfully campaigned against this discrimination.
The Paradesi Synagogue with its clock, during the Covid-19 pandemic
As is customary for Orthodox Jewish or Yehudan Mappila synagogues, the Paradesi Synagogue has separate seating sections for men and women.
Today the Paradesi Synagogue is the only functioning synagogue in Kochi with a minyan (though this minyan must be formed with Jews from outside Kochi, as the number who still reside there is not sufficient). In conformity with the Hindu, St Thomas Christian or Syrian Mappila and Muslim Mappila traditions of Kerala, the worshippers are required to enter the Paradesi Synagogue barefoot.[5] Other facets which are unique to the Cochin Jewish community, and which are results of Hindu influence, include special colours of clothing for each festival, circumcision ceremonies performed at public worship, and distribution of grape-soaked myrtle leaves on certain festivals. In addition, the current Rabbi at the Paradesi synagogue placed by Midrash Sephardi is Rabbi Yonaton Francis Goldschmidt.
The synagogue is open for a fee to visitors as a historic attraction. The ticket-seller, Yaheh Hallegua, is the last female Paradesi Jew of child-bearing age.[6] The synagogue is closed on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and also on Jewish holidays. As of April 2016, only 5 Jews live in Fort Kochi.[citation needed]. Timing to visit the Mattanherry Synagogue is from 5:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m and then it again opens from 5:00 p.m to 7:00 p.m. There is a strict dress code for both men and women. Men have to wear full shirts and trousers and women have to wear skirts below knee length .
Objects of antiquity
The Paradesi Synagogue has the Scrolls of the Law, several gold crowns received as gifts, many Belgian glass chandeliers, and a brass-railed pulpit. It houses the 10th-century copper plates of privileges given to Joseph Rabban, the earliest known Cochin Jew. These two plates were inscribed in Old Malayalam by the ruler of the Malabar Coast. The floor of the synagogue is composed of hundreds of Chinese, 18th-century, hand-painted porcelain tiles, each of which is unique. A hand-knotted oriental rug was a gift from Haile Selassie, the last Ethiopian emperor.[7] The synagogue has an 18th-century clock tower, which, along with other parts of the complex, was restored between 1998 and 1999 by the architect Karl Damschen under the direction of the World Monuments Fund.[8]
Clock tower of the Paradesi synagogue (2011)
Plaquette in the Paradesi synagogue
Clock tower of the Paradesi Synagoge (2015)
Entrance
Hebrew inscription tablet of the Kochangadi Synagogue in the courtyard wall of Paradesi Synagogue.
A tablet from the former Kochangadi Synagogue (1344) in Kochangadi, south of Jew Town in Kochi was installed on the outer wall of the Paradesi synagogue. The inscription states that the structure was built in 5105 (in the Hebrew calendar) as "an abode for the spirit of God.". This tablet was initially discovered inserted in the wall of the Kadavumbhaagam Mattanchery Synagogue during restoration work.
Thekkumbhagom synagogue
The Thekkumbhagom synagogue, located on Jews Street in the Ernakulam area of Cochin, was built in 1580 and renovated in 1939.[9]
^ abThe Paradesi Synagogue, Cochin, India. Database of Jewish Communities, Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot. Accessed online 13 February 2007.
^"Hallelujah! Assemble, Pray, Study – Synagogues Past and Present". Beit Hatfutsot.
^"Cochin Jews" 6 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine, Overview Of World Religions, Philtar, St Martin's College (UK). Accessed online 13 February 2007
^Photographs and Video Clips from South India, Easter 2003 29 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine, Religious Education, Staffordshire Learning Net. Accessed online 13 February 2007.
^"Repairs and Planning Begin for Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin, India" 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Jewish Heritage Report, Vol. II, Nos. 1–2 / Spring-Summer 1998. Accessed online 13 February 2007.
^MICHAEL FREUND, "Cochin battles to save its shul" 13 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, JERUSALEM POST, 15 May 2009
References
, Frommer's Review, New York Times
, , Philtar, St Martin's College (UK).
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paradesi Synagogue.
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For a full list of Synagogues in Kerala see List of Synagogues in Kerala Coordinates 9 57 26 N 76 15 34 E 9 95722 N 76 25944 E 9 95722 76 25944 The Paradesi Synagogue aka Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue Malayalam പരദ ശ ജ തപള ള is a synagogue located in Mattancherry Jew Town a suburb of the city of Kochi Kerala in India It was built in 1568 A D by Samuel Castiel David Belila and Joseph Levi for the flourishing Paradesi Jewish community in Kochi Cochin Jews were composed mainly of the much older Malabari Jews and the newly arrived Sephardic refugees from the Portuguese religious persecution of Jews in Spain and Portugal 1 It is the oldest active 2 synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations 3 Paradesi is a word used in several Indian languages and the literal meaning of the term is foreigners applied to the synagogue because it was built by Sephardic or Portuguese speaking Jews some of them from families exiled in Aleppo Safed and other West Asian localities Paradesi Synagogue בית הכנסת פרדסי പരദ ശ ജ തപള ള Interior of the synagogue facing the arkReligionAffiliationOrthodox JudaismStatusActiveLocationLocationKochi KeralaGeographic coordinates9 57 26 N 76 15 34 E 9 95722 N 76 25944 E 9 95722 76 25944ArchitectureTypeSynagogueCompleted1568Interior of the synagogue facing the entrance The synagogue is located in the quarter of Old Cochin known as Jew Town 3 and is the only one of the seven synagogues in the area still in use though the Kadavumbhagam Synagogue 1544 A D and Thekkumbhagam Synagogue 1647 A D extinct are much older and are the three synagogues in Mattancherry The complex has four buildings It was built adjacent to the Mattancherry Palace temple on the land given to the community by the Raja of Kochi Rama Varma The Mattancherry Palace temple and the Mattancherry synagogue share a common wall Contents 1 History 2 Present 3 Objects of antiquity 4 Thekkumbhagom synagogue 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksHistory Edit Entrance The Malabari Jews or Yehudan Mappila also known as Cochin Jews formed a prosperous trading community of Kerala and they controlled a major portion of worldwide spice trade citation needed In 1568 Paradesi Jews constructed the Paradesi Synagogue adjacent to Mattancherry Palace Cochin now part of the Indian city of Ernakulam on land given to them by the Raja of Kochi The first synagogue in India was built in the 4th century in Kodungallur Cranganore when the Jews had a merchantile role in the South Indian region now called Kerala along the Malabar coast When the community moved to Kochi in the 14th century it built a new synagogue there citation needed The Malabari Jews or the Yehudan Mappila first synagogue in Cochin was destroyed in the 16th century during the Portuguese persecution of the Jews and Nasrani or Suriyani Mappila or Syriac Aramaic Mappila people The second built under the protection of the Raja in Mattancherry in 1558 during the Portuguese rule of Cochin is the present synagogue 4 which is still in use for worship and can attract a minyan It is called Paradesi synagogue because it was built by Spanish speaking Jews Paradesi Jews this contributed to the informal name paradesi synagogue or foreign synagogue In addition a new Jewish group had immigrated to Kochi Sephardim from the Iberian Peninsula They and the Malabari Jews or Yehudan Mappila shared many aspects of their religion and the newcomers learned the Judeo Malayalam dialect but the Sephardim also retained their own culture and Spanish language at least for three centuries By 1660 the Dutch ruled the Kochi area calling it Dutch Malabar In later years the Paradesi Synagogue was used primarily by the Sephardim who were also referred to as Paradesi and their descendants and later European exiled Jews The Paradesi Synagogue had three classes of members White Jews were full members The White Jews or Paradesi Jews were the recent descendants of Sephardim from Spain Portugal and the Netherlands Black Jews or Malabari Jews were allowed to worship but were not admitted to full membership These Cochin Jews were the original Jewish settlers of Cochin Meshuchrarim a group of freed slaves and their descendants brought by the Sephardim they had no communal rights and no synagogue of their own They sat on the floor or on the steps outside In the first half of the 20th century Abraham Barak Salem a meshuchrar successfully campaigned against this discrimination In 1968 the 400th anniversary of the synagogue was celebrated in a ceremony attended by Indira Gandhi the Indian Prime Minister Present Edit The Paradesi Synagogue with its clock during the Covid 19 pandemic As is customary for Orthodox Jewish or Yehudan Mappila synagogues the Paradesi Synagogue has separate seating sections for men and women Today the Paradesi Synagogue is the only functioning synagogue in Kochi with a minyan though this minyan must be formed with Jews from outside Kochi as the number who still reside there is not sufficient In conformity with the Hindu St Thomas Christian or Syrian Mappila and Muslim Mappila traditions of Kerala the worshippers are required to enter the Paradesi Synagogue barefoot 5 Other facets which are unique to the Cochin Jewish community and which are results of Hindu influence include special colours of clothing for each festival circumcision ceremonies performed at public worship and distribution of grape soaked myrtle leaves on certain festivals In addition the current Rabbi at the Paradesi synagogue placed by Midrash Sephardi is Rabbi Yonaton Francis Goldschmidt The synagogue is open for a fee to visitors as a historic attraction The ticket seller Yaheh Hallegua is the last female Paradesi Jew of child bearing age 6 The synagogue is closed on Fridays Saturdays and Sundays and also on Jewish holidays As of April 2016 only 5 Jews live in Fort Kochi citation needed Timing to visit the Mattanherry Synagogue is from 5 00 a m to 1 00 p m and then it again opens from 5 00 p m to 7 00 p m There is a strict dress code for both men and women Men have to wear full shirts and trousers and women have to wear skirts below knee length Objects of antiquity EditThe Paradesi Synagogue has the Scrolls of the Law several gold crowns received as gifts many Belgian glass chandeliers and a brass railed pulpit It houses the 10th century copper plates of privileges given to Joseph Rabban the earliest known Cochin Jew These two plates were inscribed in Old Malayalam by the ruler of the Malabar Coast The floor of the synagogue is composed of hundreds of Chinese 18th century hand painted porcelain tiles each of which is unique A hand knotted oriental rug was a gift from Haile Selassie the last Ethiopian emperor 7 The synagogue has an 18th century clock tower which along with other parts of the complex was restored between 1998 and 1999 by the architect Karl Damschen under the direction of the World Monuments Fund 8 Clock tower of the Paradesi synagogue 2011 Plaquette in the Paradesi synagogue Clock tower of the Paradesi Synagoge 2015 Entrance Hebrew inscription tablet of the Kochangadi Synagogue in the courtyard wall of Paradesi Synagogue A tablet from the former Kochangadi Synagogue 1344 in Kochangadi south of Jew Town in Kochi was installed on the outer wall of the Paradesi synagogue The inscription states that the structure was built in 5105 in the Hebrew calendar as an abode for the spirit of God This tablet was initially discovered inserted in the wall of the Kadavumbhaagam Mattanchery Synagogue during restoration work Thekkumbhagom synagogue EditThe Thekkumbhagom synagogue located on Jews Street in the Ernakulam area of Cochin was built in 1580 and renovated in 1939 9 See also EditList of Synagogues in Kerala Paradesi Jews Cochin Jews Kochi India Synagogues in India Oldest synagogues in the world Luso IndianNotes Edit Jay A Waronker Paradesi Synagogue Friends of Kerala Synagogues 2011 Fernandes Edna 2008 The Last Jews of Kerala London United Kingdom Portobello Books p 24 ISBN 978 1 84627 098 7 a b The Paradesi Synagogue Cochin India Database of Jewish Communities Museum of the Jewish People at Beit Hatfutsot Accessed online 13 February 2007 Hallelujah Assemble Pray Study Synagogues Past and Present Beit Hatfutsot Cochin Jews Archived 6 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine Overview Of World Religions Philtar St Martin s College UK Accessed online 13 February 2007 Abram David November 2010 The Rough Guide to Kerala 2nd ed London United Kingdom Penguin Books p 181 ISBN 978 1 84836 541 4 Photographs and Video Clips from South India Easter 2003 Archived 29 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine Religious Education Staffordshire Learning Net Accessed online 13 February 2007 Repairs and Planning Begin for Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin India Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Jewish Heritage Report Vol II Nos 1 2 Spring Summer 1998 Accessed online 13 February 2007 MICHAEL FREUND Cochin battles to save its shul Archived 13 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine JERUSALEM POST 15 May 2009References EditParadesi Synagogue Frommer s Review New York Times Cochin Jews Overview Of World Religions Philtar St Martin s College UK External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paradesi Synagogue WMF Paradesi Synagogue Cochin archived 14 February 2005 on the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paradesi Synagogue amp oldid 1129414261, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
